Sonali Shah was born on 26 July 1980 in Edgware, London, England, to Indian parents who ran a pharmacy. She grew up in a close-knit family and developed early interests in dance and media.

She studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University before beginning her career in 2002 at the BBC World Service as a producer. She later moved into presenting, working on BBC Radio 5 Live programmes such as Wake Up to Money.

Her television breakthrough came with BBC’s Newsround, where she worked from 2006 to 2011, becoming a well-known children’s news presenter. She later expanded into mainstream broadcasting, covering major sporting events and presenting shows like Crimewatch and The National Lottery Draws.

In 2014, she joined Escape to the Country on BBC One, where she helps buyers find rural homes across the UK. The show remains one of her most recognisable roles.

She lives in London with her husband Adarsh and two children, balancing family life with a busy broadcasting career.